Historical Dinosaurs: Episodes in Discovery and Restoration

Inspired by the approaching sesquicentennial year of the Dinosauria, a classification term created by Sir Richard Owen in 1841 originally corresponding to three extinct genera of enormous, terrestrial British Mesozoic reptiles, the author created miniature models of several dinosaur genera. Sculptures commemorating historically significant restorative stages in paleontological understanding for five genera (Iguanodon, Megalosaurus, Had-rosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Chasmosaurus) were constructed to emphasize the theme of ‘evolving’ ideas concerning dinosaur representations. The stories behind the scientific derivation and ‘evolution’ of these forms illustrate several interesting episodes in the history of dinosaur paleontology.